Boxing glove



J. GOLOMB BOXING GLOVE Aug. 10, 1948.

Filed Jan. 10, 1946 INVENTOR. JUL E .5 60L 0MB Patented Aug. 10, 1948 BOXING GLOVE Jules Golomb, Rago Park, N. Y., assignor to Benlee Sporting Goods Mfg. (30., New York, N. Y., a copartnership Application January 10, 1946, Serial No. 640,257

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved construction of a boxing glove.

Ordinary boxing gloves of the type now generally in use are constructed of a plurality of sections of casing material, preferably leather, sewn together at seams and suitably padded and reinforced. The palm of the glove is generally made with substantially parallel sides widely spaced one from the other, and a slit is provided at the center of such a palm section for lacing and fitting purposes and to permit ease of insertion and withdrawal of the users hand from the glove. The inner thumb section has been fabricated substantially triangular in shape, and the seam which serves to unite the inner thumb section to the palm section is customarily made linear, thus cutting diagonally across the ball of the users thumb when the users hand is inserted into the glove.

Several disadvantages obtain with this type of construction. The straight, wide palm makes the glove loose around the wrist. This is not only conducive to sprains of the wrist when a hard blow is struck, because of lack of support for the wrist, but also makes the glove loose on the hand so that when the users arm is permitted to drop, the glove slides down on the hand and before fighting can be resumed it must be pulled back to proper position. This is not only annoying, but is also time and energy consuming.

The described position of the conventional palm-inner thumb seam makes for discomfort. When the hand is clenched, as it must be in boxing, the ball of the users thumb will of necessity bulge or bunch up. Since the aforementioned seam cuts directly across the ball of the thumb when the users hand is in the glove, said scam in a conventional glove tends to restrict this bunching up and hence makes the clenchin of the fist more or less of an uncomfortable effort.

It is the prime object of this invention to provide a method of construction of a boxing glove and a resulting boxing glove structure whereby a glove is produced which fits snugly and supports the entire hand and wrist of the user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a boxing glove which conforms to the shape of the hand when clenched, particularly insofar as the ball of the thumb is concerned.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a boxing glove which will not tend to slide from its proper wearing position when the users hand or arm is relaxed.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating a boxing glove asabove described in a simple and efficient manner.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my present invention relates to the manufacture of a novel boxing glove as sought to be defined in the appended claims and as described in the following specification, taken together with the accompanyin drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a training glove embodyin my invention, shown in unlaced condition;

Fig. 2 is a front view of a fighting glove embodying my invention, and showing the same in laced condition; and

Fig. 3 is a palm blank from which the palm portion of the fighting glove of Fig. 2 is formed.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, the boxin glove of the present invention comprises a palm portion 2, a front portion i joined thereto at seam 6. and a thumb portion generally designated as 8,. which latter is composed of inner thumb portion It and an outer thumb portion I2 joined together at seam Hi. The outer thumb portion I2 is joined to the front portion 4 at a seam not visible in the drawings. In the training glove of Fig. 1, the inner thumb portion I0 is formed of two separate portions 16 and E8; in the fighting glove of Fig. 2 the inner thumb portion I 0 is made up of a single piece of material. The inner thumb portion is is joined to the palm portion by means of the palm-inner thumb seam 20.

The palm portion 2 is so constructed as to be materially wider at its top part 22 than at its bottom part 24, thus presenting a substantially tapered appearance as will be apparent from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. The palm portion is concavely cut as at 24, as best shown in Fig. 3, to form the seam edge 26. The inner thumb portion I0 is correspondingly convexly curved at that part thereof which joins the palm seam edge 26 in the palm-inner thumb seam so as to form seam edge 28. The palm-inner thumb seam 20 formed by the joinder of these seam edges is therefore if traced from top to bottom of the glove first inwardly disposed toward the center of the palm portion 2 and then curved downwardly toward the bottom of the palm portion 2 in such a manner as to conform to the outlines of the ball of the users thumb so that when the users hand is clenched the seam will not interfere with the distention of the thumb ball. As will be apparent from the drawings, this curve is convex as viewed from the palm portion 2.

As an additional feature, in order to provide room in the glove for the distention of the ball of the users thumb when his fist is clenched, the inner thumb seam edge 28 is provided with a greater length of material than the palm seam edge 26 which is joined thereto in the palm-inner thumb seam 20. This provides a flexible bulge in the part of .the inner thumb section I!) adjacent the palm-inner thumb seam 2B. which bulge acts as a receptacle for the distention of the bal1 of the users thumb, thus making for maximum ease and comfort in the clenching of the users'fist.

The shape of the seam 20 and the greater length of material provided in the seam edge 28, together result in a thumb section which conforms to the shape of the human thumb when the hand is clenched and which,- receptacle-likeneceives the bump or pouch formed when the thumb is clenched.

In order to permit easy insertion and removal of the users hand, andin order to-provide for snug fitting and support of the user's hand and wrist, a long, longitudinal slit 3!] centrally disposed in the palmportion 2 is provided. In boxing gloves as heretofore constructed, this slit is adapted when laced to have the sides thereof abut one another. Since the hand is broader at the palm than at the wrist, a snug fit at the palm necessarily means a loose fit, and. hence lack of support,"at the wrist. In order to obviate this.-

and provide asnug fit and adequate support on all parts of the users hand and wrist, this slit is widened by eliminating some material from the slit part of the palm portion so that the longitudinal edges 32 and 34 of the slit 30 are spaced from abutting relation .when the glove is not laced (seeFig. 1).

When the glove is laced (see Fig. 2), the space 'between'the longitudinal edges 32and 34 is employed to ensure asnug fit of the glove on the users entire hand-and wrist. Thus, while the longitudinaledges'32 and 34 maybe pulled into abutting relation'around the users wrist by the laces 36, the additional width of the users palm is accommodated by the longitudinal edges 32 and.

34 not being drawn into abutting relation. Thus the combination of the laces 36 and the spacing between the longitudinal edges'32- and 34 of the slit 30 cooperate to cause the glove to conform snugly to the shape of the users hands and wrist.-.

The tapered shape of the palm section 2 aids in attaining this result.

Since the palm-inner thumb seam 20? projects inwardly toward the center of the palmip'ortion 2,

a straight line slit wouldzhave to be' disposed'ofia center of the palm :portion 2.? This, however; is .undesi'rablerbecause it proves. to beextremely uncomfortable to the user. .To eliminatelt'his disadvantage, the construction of the glove Of my in- "vention involves .thezuse ofa slit 3llwhich is cen-.

trally disposedinnthe. .palmzportion' 2t.1but' which curves around the .palmeinnenthumb. seam 20, as is best shown inlFig. 3, :bymeans. ofawhich :curve the slit3fl' maybecentrally .disposedfinthe palm portion 2. I It. is:preferred:th'at thencurve of the:

slit 30 concavelyconform. to theeonvex nature. of the palm-inner thumbiseam. 20.

. A- preferred methodof' formingslit 30?.whereby certain additional. advantages: are obtained; isas follows: The palm'portioni2 isicutin' theform. of a .the palm blanktshown. in Fig. 3. :ln asingleoperation', the slit 3B is cutzand the:lacing;holes:38

. are punched. in the palmportionproperyandcorresponding lacing holes. ;40 1' are punched". inLthe materialr 42 to. .be:eliminatedvfromzthe' slit son as: to

- i of the glove may be provided by means of rein- -.-forcing strips 48 and 50 secured to the glove by stitching E2 and 54 in the customary manner. iiThe. method of. constructing the boxing glove of the present invention, the resulting improved glove structure,-and the advantages attendant thereon will in the'main be fully apparent from the above description. The employment of a 1 palm-inner thumb seam which conforms to the outline of the ball of the users thumb and the provision of a greater length ofmaterial in portionthan in the seam edge of :the. palm porthe seam edge 28 of the inner thumb'portion than in the adjoining-seam edge26 of thepalmportion joined thereto, enable the glove to fit more comfortably on the users thumb, the ball of the users thumb-being fully accommodated, particularly when the users hand is in a clenched or fighting position. The provision of a long, centrally disposed'sliti3ll' in the tapered palm portion 2 of the glove, which slit is widened 'by the eliminationof materialfrom the slit part of the palm portion 2 so that the longitudinal edges 32 and 34' of the slit are spaced from abutting relation, enables the'glove to fit'snugly and support all o'f-the users hand-and wrist; thusreducing the probability of;wrist sprain and preventing the glove from sliding from its properposition when the users hand and arm are relaxed. In order to position said slit 30 centrally of the palm portion 2 and thus make for maximum comfort to the user, the slit is curved around the inwardly projecting palm-inner thumb seam'20.

While I have described the boxing glove of my invention in a preferred form, it will be apparent that changes: maybe made therein without departing from the: spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

' I claim:

1. In a boxingglove, a: glove body. comprising a palm portion and an inner thumb portion seam united thereto, the seam'between the palm portion and the inner thumb portionbeing disposed inwardly toward the center of the palm portion andconvexly curved downwardly toward'thebottom of 'the palmportion so as to conform to the outlines of the ball of the users thumb.

2. In a boxing glove, a glove .body comprising a palm portion and an inner thumb portion seam unitednthereto, there being a greater length of material in-the seam edge of theinner thumb tion joined thereto.

3. In aboxing. glove, a. glove body comprising a palm portion and an inner thumbportion seam unitedctheretqthe seam between the palm portion and the inner thumb portion being disposed inwardly toward .the' center of the palm portion and convexly curvedidownwardly toward the bottomofthe' palnrportion so as to conform to the outlines of'the rbailof the users thumb, and there being ajgreaterrlengthof. material. in:the seam edge of the inner .thumbiportion than in the seam edge of the palmportion joined thereto.

4. In the boxing. glove of claim 1, the provision of along: centrally disposed longitudinal slit. .in

the palm portion for fitting and lacing purposes which is curved to concavely conform to the convex palm-inner thumb seam.

5. In a boxing glove, a glove body comprising a palm portion and an inner thumb portion seam united thereto, the palm portion being substantially narrower at the bottom thereof than at the top, the palm-inner thumb seam being disposed inwardly toward the center of the palm portion and convexly curved downwardly toward the bottom of the palm portion so as to conform to the outlines of the ball of the users thumb, said palm section being provided with a long centrally disposed longitudinal slit for fitting and lacing purposes curved around said seam.

6. The boxing glove of claim in which, in the palm-inner thumb seam there is provided a greater length of material in the seam edge of the inner thumb portion than in the seam edge of the palm portion joined thereto.

7. In the boxing glove of claim 1, the provision of a long centrally disposed longitudinal slit in the palm for fitting and lacing purposes which is curved about the palm-inner thumb seam, said slit being widened by the elimination of material from the slit part of the palm portion so that the longitudinal edges of the slit are spaced from abutting relation, whereby the glove is adapted when laced to fit snugly and support all parts of the wrist and hand of the wearer.

8. In the boxing glove of claim 1, the provision of a long centrally disposed longitudinal slit in the palm for fitting and lacing purposes which is curved to concavely conform to the convex palm-inner thumb seam, said slit being widened by the elimination of material from the split part of the palm portion so that the longitudinal edges of the slit are spaced from abutting relation, the eliminated material being secured to the palm portion proper in an infolded position, so as to underlie the palm portion proper, and being provided with lacing holes which register with the lacing holes of the palm portion proper, whereby the widened slit is produced and reinforcement for the slit and the lacing holes is provided.

9. In the manufacture of a boxing glove having a palm portion formed from a palm blank provided with a long centrally disposed longitudinal slit for glove fitting and lacing purposes, the method of making said slit and widening it by the elimination of materia1 from the slit part of the palm portion so that the longitudinal edges of the slit are spaced from abutting relation, which method consists in cutting the slit on a palm blank and punching the lacing holes in said palm blank in one operation, the lacing holes being punched in the palm portion proper with corresponding lacing holes punched in the material which is to be eliminated from the slit, and in then infolding the material to be eliminated so as to underlie the palm portion proper with the sets of punched holes arranged in registration, and in then securing the infolded material to the said palm portion proper, whereby the wid- .ened slit is produced and reinforcement for the slit and the lacing holes is provided.

JULES GOLOMB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,167,272 Cline Jan. 4, 1916 1,598,718 Healy Sept. 7, 1926 1,7 92,004 Dieterle Feb. 10, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 339,951 Great Britain Dec. 16, 1930 

